Sumthin wicked this way comes

[Nesta]

I mean wicked in a good way :uhhuhuh:

I haven't really said anything specific about my path on MW but I've been here long enough to get comfy. I have mentioned that I'm dedicated to Odin and Freyja, my path is specifically linked to Seidr and Shamanism. I've been doing this for a while now and I've learned to spot the patterns.

It goes like this...
I go through a really difficult time and I see this as a challenge meant to test and teach me. So far I've done pretty well and after each challenge I am 'rewarded' with the next phase of my path. I'm ok with this because the things I'm being taught shouldn't just be handed out any old way, I know I need to prove I can handle it.

So, I've just been through 4 months of my latest challenge, a mind numbing, brain mushing time of really hard work. The details don't matter but I am always aware that I'm going through a challenge. Two days ago I recieved the sign that my next learning phase has begun. I met my first ever totem animal, a beautiful owl. As I said, I've been doing this for a while and I was always content knowing that this would happen when the time was right. I now have a period of work and research, meditation and ritual to learn about this beautiful creature in relation to myself. I'm quite methodical, it's just how I like to do things.

Why am I posting this?
Because I am so unbelievably happy and excited!!! I've always known that I had chosen (or was invited to choose) a path of hard work and it makes the good times so much sweeter.

Even those of us who have been practising for a while sometimes get lost and wonder what will happen next, I have learned that it always does happen, I just have to be ready and open to it.

My next steps are suddenly clear to me. I don't know what will happen but I know what to do and I'm really happy about it. Who knows what my totem and I will do together? I feel that the owl is female and I have the strongest pull towards her already.

I would really like to hear from others about their paths and meeting their totem animals if anyone would like to share. I think finding this place has been significant for me. I've read so many amazing posts and new ideas that I felt things starting up in me.

Can I keep you posted? I think I'm going on another adventure!

[roguetamlin]

You have a great attitude, I always ride these things out with the mantra "another ****ing growth opportunity."

:smile:

[Nesta]

Thank you. :)
I think it's best to try to find a bit of balance. The hard times and the good times are equally important. I think I actually learn more in times of struggle and I'm sure I wouldn't appreciate the good stuff half so much without earning it.

[green aventurine]

Yes, I agree. You seem to have a great attitude, Nesta. I tend to go through what I call crunch periods myself followed by periods of relaxation etc.

I seem to be kind of into a shamanic path or it seems to be into me although I don't tend to work with power animals really. I tend to work physically with trees (or the things that live around them in forests) and what appear to be spirit entities in general (ie. not just in forests). I don't really have any particular tradition to plug it into though - hence the half-assedness :toofless:

I like Raven Kaldera's site although I don't really link to any deities he mentions. It's more that I can relate in some ways to how he and his friends operate. I have looked at core shamanism a bit as well and, while I respect it, Raven’s site seems a bit more how I seem to work although it's always an equal partnership - I'm not an expert on these things to explain it properly, I'm afraid lol

If you scroll down to this bit about a quarter of the way down I can relate to levels 3 and 5, for example, in some ways:



Levels of Deity Assumption
Some time ago, a list started circulating around the Neo-Pagan community, attributed to Willow Polson, with regard to levels of deity presence. While we found it to be useful, we also expanded it a bit to include levels-between-levels that only people who've had a lot of experience horsing deities could know. Therefore, we present the expanded list, with apologies to Ms. Polson.

http://www.northernshamanism.org/horsepath.html

[PhoenixRevival]

Congratulations on your hard work and dedication! Keep fighting the good fight. =^_^=

[Nesta]

Yes, I agree. You seem to have a great attitude, Nesta. I tend to go through what I call crunch periods myself followed by periods of relaxation etc.

I seem to be kind of into a shamanic path or it seems to be into me although I don't tend to work with power animals really. I tend to work physically with trees (or the things that live around them in forests) and what appear to be spirit entities in general (ie. not just in forests). I don't really have any particular tradition to plug it into though - hence the half-assedness :toofless:

I like Raven Kaldera's site although I don't really link to any deities he mentions. It's more that I can relate in some ways to how he and his friends operate. I have looked at core shamanism a bit as well and, while I respect it, Raven’s site seems a bit more how I seem to work although it's always an equal partnership - I'm not an expert on these things to explain it properly, I'm afraid lol

If you scroll down to this bit about a quarter of the way down I can relate to levels 3 and 5, for example, in some ways:

http://www.northernshamanism.org/horsepath.html


Sorry it took me so long to get back to this.

Thank you for the link, it's very interesting! I've never read about anything like that before. I can relate to some of it too.

There's been so much going on lately with family that I couldn't think straight but today I'm feeling the inspiration again. I couldn't get any sleep because I was thinking about all the things I want to research and the meditations I want to do. It still gets overwhelming at the beginning of these 'discovery' stages. I just need to remind myself to ground regularly.

[green aventurine]

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this.

Thank you for the link, it's very interesting! I've never read about anything like that before. I can relate to some of it too.

There's been so much going on lately with family that I couldn't think straight but today I'm feeling the inspiration again. I couldn't get any sleep because I was thinking about all the things I want to research and the meditations I want to do. It still gets overwhelming at the beginning of these 'discovery' stages. I just need to remind myself to ground regularly.

Glad you found it interesting, Nesta. Don't worry about taking time to get back to it, I've got a lot going on in my personal life as well at the moment and I have loads of threads and e-mails I want to get back to but don't have loads of energy right now. Glad to read you have picked up again. Hopefully things will clear up for me as well and I'll be like this little fellow again -------> :boing:

:)

[BearDancing]

am happy for you my sweet, you will learn much from the spirit of the Owl and have many pleaureable times together....would you wear a necklace with a owl feather, or use it for an artifact on your alter, I may be able to get you some Owl claws....*sometimes Owls are called a NIGHT EAGLE because they have silent feathers* You will not hear a owl fly by you...other birds you can distictly hear the wind in their feathers...Owls have tiny hair like fluff to make them silent...I will send you an owl feather.

My first power animal was the bear.....will share that with you another time.....

[BearDancing]

Yes, I agree. You seem to have a great attitude, Nesta. I tend to go through what I call crunch periods myself followed by periods of relaxation etc.

I seem to be kind of into a shamanic path or it seems to be into me although I don't tend to work with power animals really. I tend to work physically with trees (or the things that live around them in forests) and what appear to be spirit entities in general (ie. not just in forests). I don't really have any particular tradition to plug it into though - hence the half-assedness :toofless:

I like Raven Kaldera's site although I don't really link to any deities he mentions. It's more that I can relate in some ways to how he and his friends operate. I have looked at core shamanism a bit as well and, while I respect it, Raven’s site seems a bit more how I seem to work although it's always an equal partnership - I'm not an expert on these things to explain it properly, I'm afraid lol

If you scroll down to this bit about a quarter of the way down I can relate to levels 3 and 5, for example, in some ways:

http://www.northernshamanism.org/horsepath.html

I read this link...nothing personal I saw a lot of talk with not a lot being said......or done...I did not get much from this one at all...just me though:cutie:

[green aventurine]

I read this link...nothing personal I saw a lot of talk with not a lot being said......or done...I did not get much from this one at all...just me though:cutie:


That's fair enough :) Perhaps this short article by him may put my link more into perspective/context and give an insight into its aims. However, I appreciate he is not for everybody.

http://www.northernshamanism.org/eightfold.html


Also, this is where I got the original link and where you can find the other seven 'spokes' of the wheel.

http://www.northernshamanism.org/articles.html

[Nesta]

am happy for you my sweet, you will learn much from the spirit of the Owl and have many pleaureable times together....would you wear a necklace with a owl feather, or use it for an artifact on your alter, I may be able to get you some Owl claws....*sometimes Owls are called a NIGHT EAGLE because they have silent feathers* You will not hear a owl fly by you...other birds you can distictly hear the wind in their feathers...Owls have tiny hair like fluff to make them silent...I will send you an owl feather.

My first power animal was the bear.....will share that with you another time.....


Owl claws? Are you joking? I'd love that!!!

[Toki Wartooth]

You have a fantastic attitude.

I've been trying to see things in a similar fashion, especially with what all has happened to me this year. (Dumped twice, Father died, my "aunt" -- who I have since ousted from my family, ugh -- is insane and I had to flee from her house, I felt rather alienated at the other aunt's, and now that my mom works and I try seeking PT, things are just lonely and wrong at home.) I was told it was my Hermit year (numerology #9), and it's one of a lot of significant changes and learning. It's sometimes hard to see things as learning and growing opportunities, especially when anything particularly tragic happens, but it's possible.

I wish my spiritual life were more balanced and methodical as yours is. I myself tend to be that kind of person, but "life" seems to get in the way, especially when I'm needed as someone for my Mother to lean on during these times. I always intend to do this and that, but it just never seems to happen, unfortunately. I figure I can get back into the swing of things once stuff settles down, but who knows how long that'll take?

I don't know much about totem animals, but I've always felt Snake was very in my life for some reason or another. Snakes are my favorite animals, and I feel something in me resonate with them. (As for my path itself, it's going through major overhauls...)

I'm glad you've found yourself a sort of home here, and I look forward to reading more of your posts. :)

[Nesta]

Thank you Toki.

I aim for balance and find that a methodical approach works best when I want to try to understand difficult times but my life often feels like a maelstrom. There are times when I would be so grateful for a bit of peace. It seems to be one thing after another relentlessly. I have to allow the ego to show for a nano second and admit that I'm very happy to be able to see through the madness and reach my inner calm when things get tough.

I have a spiritual to do list that I never get around to either. I've realised though that what is really important to me is to recognise that I'm being challenged and then afterwards to be analytical and realise what I've learned. Since my little personal journey is lifelong I'm trying not to be overwhelmed by the constancy of it, otherwise it wouldn't be much of a path. When all else fails I tell myself to shut up and get on with it. I chose this path and I'm really stubborn so I'm determined to do as much as I can.

I do honestly believe that something good can come out of every negative situation. Sometimes it takes years to work out what that something good could be, but I believe firmly that I will always get there in the end.

For this reason Toki I think that you will be ok, you don't seem to be the type to give up. You turned to MW for support and that tells me you want to do your best, otherwise you wouldn't bother even posting when things get tough for you.

Because of my way of looking at things relatively I can be genuinely happy when everything seems to be going wrong. I constantly force myself to put things into some kind of perspective. This is how I give myself a rest. I do this because I honestly think that I'd be waiting a Hel of a long time for a break otherwise.

[BearDancing]

Nesta, when I first met my sweet Spirit of Bear...........first totem


I was a big game hunter...I shot a bear...I was talking to my friend and she said *short version* I read once about a Power Animal..maybe the bear is your Power Animal...the moment these words left her mouth...I felt energy move through the floor through my feet...slowly moving up my body...the hairs on my body were standing on end...the intensity was like WOW...the energy moved to the top of my head....till the point I was going to pass out....then it slowly dissapated back down my body and out my feet back into the floor/ground. That was the beginning of a life long relationship with *Bear*

So I do know how excited you are.....I have know for a while about the Spirit of Golden Eagle.............yet it has just been the last few days that I ;have chosen to commit my life to the Spirit of the Golden Eagle..............

Wowzer.............................I shapeshifted and I was the male Golden Eagle with a female Golden doing the ritualistic, holding of each others talons while we fell from the sky.................then we both swooped up on opposite sides and met again, it seemed in the clouds, then talons enlocked again we felll........................It is so hard to describe.....I know when I shape shift as I *see* through the eyes of what I have shape shifted into...........other times it is astral projection joining my different friends.........and so much more.........

Nesta I am so happy for you.................you are about to journey with your Owl to places you have only dreamed of and more......
I watched a show on Canadian Geographic...........on *Owls* you may be able to find it on their website..........it was an incredible show about the abilities of Owls...

Once I spoke with the Spirit of the Owl, it was on the way to work one day..............I asked how it coould see at night..............I was told to close my eyes.................when I did I saw everything in different hues of green and black............too cool, I am still not sure if that is how Owls see at night or not................they go by sound almost exclusively at night................the show on Owls was very very good.....well worth researching...

I picked you a huge boquet of peonies, the deepest pink/purple, I put them in a huge vase....the vase is 3 ft tall.................I picked it for you.............so if you can imagine the sweet perfume I have in my mind placed it on your alter.....................later my sweet

[Nesta]

Thank you. I'm very excited about getting to know my beautiful owl. I'm learning a lot. An unbelievable amount of realisations are clicking into place and making perfect sense. It's a wonderful experience. I know you know what I mean.

Did I ever mention that peonies are my favourite flowers? I really love them. My sister had hundreds of them at her wedding. They are so beautiful.

Thank you very much for the flowers BearDancing, they are on my altar and I have goosebumps just thinking about them.

[BearDancing]

found a couple of beautiful pics you might like.........my sweet.........

[BearDancing]

this one is big but I love it...............

http://www.hinkenberg.de/royo_g/lr_amill.jpg

[green aventurine]

..............

Wowzer.............................I shapeshifted and I was the male Golden Eagle with a female Golden doing the ritualistic, holding of each others talons while we fell from the sky.................then we both swooped up on opposite sides and met again, it seemed in the clouds, then talons enlocked again we felll........................It is so hard to describe.....I know when I shape shift as I *see* through the eyes of what I have shape shifted into...........other times it is astral projection joining my different friends.........and so much more.........



I don't really have names for what I do because I'm so new to these kind of things. I don't experience much stuff with animals so I can't really relate to your experiences although it sounds quite wonderful and I don't really know what the word shape shift means. I have had lots of experiences with trees though. With one of my favourite ones it felt like we were merging - can't quite describe it. Felt like (or 'looked' like) I became half human half tree lol felt quite good as well :)

I like the pictures you put on this thread. My favourite one is by Jessica Galbraith - I like her stuff and I think she's a good artist, personally.

[Nesta]

I don't really have names for what I do because I'm so new to these kind of things. I don't experience much stuff with animals so I can't really relate to your experiences although it sounds quite wonderful and I don't really know what the word shape shift means. I have had lots of experiences with trees though. With one of my favourite ones it felt like we were merging - can't quite describe it. Felt like (or 'looked' like) I became half human half tree lol felt quite good as well :)

I like the pictures you put on this thread. My favourite one is by Jessica Galbraith - I like her stuff and I think she's a good artist, personally.

I feel like that too. I have a special relationship with trees. I get the most wonderful feeling when I'm near trees, touching trees or when I can hear their leaves rustling in the wind. I can't really describe it but I get the feeling you will know what I mean.

[Nesta]

BearDancing....

The last image you posted is my favourite too.

I want to thank you for the words you posted about your experiences with animals. I've found that vey few people are willing to share their experiences. I appreciate that many things are best kept private (I'm the same in many respects) but it really is special to know that someone understands my happiness and excitement.

I love reading your posts.

[BearDancing]

I don't really have names for what I do because I'm so new to these kind of things. I don't experience much stuff with animals so I can't really relate to your experiences although it sounds quite wonderful and I don't really know what the word shape shift means. I have had lots of experiences with trees though. With one of my favourite ones it felt like we were merging - can't quite describe it. Felt like (or 'looked' like) I became half human half tree lol felt quite good as well :)

I like the pictures you put on this thread. My favourite one is by Jessica Galbraith - I like her stuff and I think she's a good artist, personally.

must feel some incredible to feel *part of the tree* one with the tree..............................I can feel plants, seeds grow....maybe it is close to what you feel

[BearDancing]

BearDancing....

The last image you posted is my favourite too.

I want to thank you for the words you posted about your experiences with animals. I've found that vey few people are willing to share their experiences. I appreciate that many things are best kept private (I'm the same in many respects) but it really is special to know that someone understands my happiness and excitement.

I love reading your posts.

I personally do not understand why people would not want to share personal experiences...............just me, I guess I am bold...............I feel people learn and grow together in this way..............a cyber....walk the walk and talk the talk

[green aventurine]

I feel like that too. I have a special relationship with trees. I get the most wonderful feeling when I'm near trees, touching trees or when I can hear their leaves rustling in the wind. I can't really describe it but I get the feeling you will know what I mean.

yes, think I know what you mean. I used to have “zen moments” a long way back, with music and especially with guitar solos long before I had any idea what zen and meditation etc were about (not that I'm an expert lol). I remember a while back when I was in my local forest leaning on one of the trees I communicate with and the wind was rustling through the leaves, and on the ground, because it was a sunny day, there were patches of dark and light constantly moving -- I'm not sure how long I “disappeared” for or "became" what I was seeing because I don't have a watch but it was one of the most peaceful experiences I've ever felt - also, I guess, thinking about it, just now, the sound of the wind feels almost nostalgic perhaps? [eta: actually it's not just the sound of the wind but the whole forest itself, thinking about it even more] It's like there's a certain pull or yearning for it. Same when I look at the moon, even as a child, for some reason. Not quite sure how to put it or the significance of it. I wouldn't necessarily have described it as ecstatic (not exactly sure what people mean by that word) perhaps? - that's more what I get from listening and disappearing into or losing myself in guitar solos or from some other trees when I go into trance states when I'm in contact with those particular ones.


must feel some incredible to feel *part of the tree* one with the tree..............................I can feel plants, seeds grow....maybe it is close to what you feel

It's not quite like that or perhaps I just haven't got that far with it like you have. It feels/felt simply like fusion - it's like I can “see” myself as or have become half tree/half human - I'm in a trance state by then. Again ecstasy might be a word to use perhaps I'm not sure, and I also tend to “disappear” for a while as well - if I've done it near the evening, it seems considerably darker when I come back to reality as it were. It's been a little while since I visited that particular friend unfortunately :(

Not sure if I've answered your questions/comments or my post just came across as the ramblings of madman :hahugh: